X-radiograph(s) of "Head of Christ" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Head of Christ," originally by Hans Memling, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. What strikes you most about this particular image? Editor: It's haunting, like a ghost in the machine. You see the history embedded in the materials, stripped bare. Curator: Precisely. The X-ray reveals the underpainting, the wood grain, and the methods of its creation. The unseen labor now made visible. Editor: It makes you think about the process of making art, all the hidden layers and choices, not just the final image we typically see. It’s like seeing the artist’s bones. Curator: It challenges our perception of art historical images, focusing on the construction, the socioeconomic conditions of art production. Editor: Seeing the guts of it like this, I appreciate it even more. It's like a conversation across time.